"I appreciate the drive," John said, clicking his seatbelt in as Lilian pulled away from the trailer and headed back to the front gates as he continued, saying, "especially, you know, after what you did to my car."
"Uh, pardon? You did that to my car," Lilian said. "Well, we can agree to disagree," John said, pulling out a pack of cigarettes and asked, "can I smoke in here?" "I don't care." John lit up his cigarette, rolled down his window and held it out so it wouldn't ash in the car seeing as Lilian's didn't have an ashtray built in. They sat in silence for a bit, then finally John turned and looked at her again as she pulled up to a red light. "Why are you doing this for me?" he asked. "...because we really need an adult," Lilian replied. John couldn't argue with that. *** The company used to have a monthly get together, where everyone would come, not in costume, and would discuss business and their recent interactions with guests, and of course, company issues. Usually it was held at a nearby park, but since Vera and everyone else had essentially made a new company and left the old one in the dust, they couldn't hold it there anymore. Vera suggested they not only continue the tradition, but also move it to a very old park that nobody really went to anymore. This park was on the opposite side of town from the previous, so same distance just in a different direction, and was wild west themed. It was an unusual park, but considering these were unusual people involved in an unusual business, it all seemed to fit together quite nicely. Besides, Tyler, being a cowboy, really liked it. Tyler and Vera had come together, while Alexis had been given a ride by Josh. Alexis and Josh were already there by the time Tyler and Vera arrived, and were surprised to find them hanging out on a defunct train car that had been used in an actual highway robbery back in the day. "Better make sure you don't fall off," Vera said, "you could really hurt yourself. That shit's real metal." "Yeah, thanks MOM," Alexis said, rolling her eyes, "I know that, and I like to live dangerously. It's not like it's moving." "So," Vera said, looking from Alexis to Josh and smiling, "how are you liking working with us?" "I gotta admit, it was a bit weird at first," Josh said, "uh, but I do like it. It's...I don't know, oddly comforting? Like, it's nice to be around kids, happy kids, and they're happy because the day is about them and you're there to make the day better so in a way you're making them happy. It's nice to have a life filled with joy instead of resentment." "That's probably the most elegant way anyone's ever described what they do here," Vera said, "you should've heard her last evaluation response when asked how she liked working with us," she added, nodding at Alexis. Josh looked at Alexis, who was taking a bite out of an apple. "I said 'it's cool as shit, dawg', which, in my defense, is a valid and accurate response," Alexis said, making Josh laugh, and even Vera chuckled before she turned away from them and checked her wristwatch, sighing. Tyler sidled up to her and touched her shoulder, his voice low. "Everything okay?" he asked. "I don't know where Lilian is," she said, "she should be here by now." *** "I can't believe you work for a company that does this," John said, "honestly, that's weird. I never worked for a company. There's no Clown Organization I go through or anything. I'm just a clown. I didn't have to get certified. It's just odd is all." "Well we like to appear professional, we want the people who hire us to know that they don't have to worry about our behavior and that we are dependable and appropriate around their children," Lilian said as she turned a corner and began heading down another street towards a bridge, crossing into the other side of town. "I just mean," John said, coughing and tapping his cigarette outside the window, "that I didn't choose this because it was some life calling. I chose it cause it was easy, and I'm lazy as shit. It's not like I told my mom and dad 'hey, when I grow up, I'm gonna be a clown!' because who honestly chooses that as a profession? Weirdos, that's who." "But the weirdos are our kind of people," Lilian replied, making John chuckle. "I guess, but I just wish I had a regular set of talents, you know? Carpentry, blacksmithing, baking, those kinds of things." "What time period do you wanna live in, exactly?" Lilian asked, making him laugh loudly. "You know what I mean!" he said, "Like, didn't you have any idea, when you were a little girl, what it was you wanted to do when you grew up?" The car got quiet, as Lillian chewed on her cheek and sighed. "Not really. My whole adolescence, to a point anyway, was governed by my mother and her obsession with beauty pageants, so I suppose I just accepted at face value whatever she said I would do. I guess I thought I'd be a model? I don't really know, honestly." John nodded and scratched his forehead. He took another long drag from his cigarette, then ashed it again out the window and exhaled. "What would you wanna do if you could? Like say tomorrow you could suddenly have any job you wanted without needing qualifications. What would you pick?" John asked, and Lilian smirked. "This," she said calmly, "I'd choose this." *** Josh was sitting outside the park with headphones on, listening to music as they watched the lot, waiting for Lilian's car. When it finally pulled in, they watched Lilian and a man they didn't recognize get out and approach the park. The man waved politely at Josh before heading past them and right inside, while Lilian knelt down and pushed Josh's headphones back a bit so they could hear her. "You're a bit late," they said. "I know," she replied, before kissing them and adding, "but who cares. It's not like it's real work. It's just a company event. Is Vera mad?" "Is Vera ever not mad?" Josh asked as they got up and, along with Lilian, headed inside the park; they continued, "I mean it, she has two modes: angry, and mildly less angry." "She's got a lot on her plate, a lot to deal with," Lilian said, "especially when you factor in Alexis, who is a handful in and of herself. She's like having a perpetual 17 year old who never stops begging for rides to the mall. God love her but jesus can she be tough to wrangle." "I was wondering," Josh said, "could I maybe get a replacement name tag?" "Why? You lose yours?" "No I...I think I'm gonna change my name," Josh said, making Lilian stop in her tracks. The two stood there, near the front of the park, staring at one another for a minute before Josh added, "you know, cause I...I'm just...I'm not that person that the world thought I was and maybe it'd be better if I started using a name I want that I feel better fits me." "You'd have to ask Vera but I don't think she'd mind, she's pretty accommodating, any ideas on what you want?" Josh hesitated, grimacing. "I've thought about a few, but I haven't really settled on anything just yet," they said, "all I know is that the longer I keep going by the name my parents gave me, the name that doesn't represent who I look like now, the worse I'm gonna feel, and it might even likely present danger to me at some point, considering who I'm around. Nobody needs that nonsense." Lilian approached them and took their hand in hers, smiling, as she continued to lead them further into the park. "I think," she said, "whatever name you pick will be great. No matter what, nothing will be worse than Stinko." Josh furrowed their brow, confused, but soon enough they'd understand. *** Maddie had taken to sitting by her fathers bedside ever since he'd come home from the hospital. They didn't talk. He slept most of the time anyway, so she'd read a book or do some homework or color. But she liked being near him. She liked that, even in the state he was in, he was actually home nevertheless. But she was worried...he didn't seem to be getting better. If anything, for what Maddie could tell, he seemed to be getting worse somehow. He was weaker, slower, less energized. She figured it might take a while for him to get back to his usual self, sure, but she didn't understand why no progress at all whatsoever was being made. The bedroom door opened and her mother, Jessie, entered, carrying a tray of his lunch. Maddie looked up and the two smiled at one another as Jessie slowly crept into the room and set the tray on a nearby dresser, before sitting in a chair next to her daughter and looking at what she was doing. "English?" she asked, and Maddie nodded; Jessie cleared her throat and said, "you know, if you need any help, I majored in english. It's what I'm best at. I would like to help you on your homework, but only if you really need it." "Thanks mom, but I'm okay." Maddie said, before glancing towards her father and sighing, asking, "when is dad gonna get better?" "It's gonna take a bit," Jessie said, sighing and looking at her husband, "he suffered a pretty nasty heart attack, and seeing as it's something that runs in his family, it's something he's going to have to be cautious about now, as are we in regards to helping him. But he should be back up and on his feet soon enough." With that, Jessie stood up, patted her daughter on the shoulder, and headed back out of the room, leaving Maddie alone with her barely awake father. Maddie sighed and continued to do her homework, until she heard her father grumbling something. She looked back up and leaned forward, hoping to hear him speak. His lips moved, but his words...his words terrified her. "please...stop her," he said softly. *** "I'm a professional," Alexis said sternly. "A professional what, exactly? Fuck up?" Vera asked, hands on her hips as she and Alexis went at it verbally; she continued, "because I have had SO many complaints about you from various parties you've worked, it's not even funny. You've gone past being a morbid curiosity and into being an outright problem." "Oh it's so fucking easy for you, isn't it, to judge from you ebony tower," Alexis said, "looking down on me because you don't have the problems I do, because you have family who loves you, because you're not forced to work parties and instead simply do the paperwork for overseeing the people who actually do this job. Look at you, all high and mighty, while I'm just high." "Alright kids," John said, interjecting himself and pushing both Alexis and Vera down onto benches as he stood between them, "let's get one thing straight. Nothing breaks up a partnership faster than fighting, okay? But nothing also makes your connection to others you care deeply about stronger than fighting. There's a good and a bad way to go about this. Right now you're just spittin' words, and that's just going to get one another bitter and not wanna work together. BUT...if you can find constructive criticism in your harsh critiques, then perhaps we can make this happen. So, Vera, you worry about Alex being on drugs?" "I don't work high," Alexis said flatly, "I'm not that big an asshole, jesus. Who cares what I do in my spare time?" "She has a point," John said. "It's not even about your drug habit," Vera said, "which, you're right, is entirely your business. It's about the fact that you don't behave properly at these events. So many times parents call me up afterwards, and even sometimes during, and tell me things that I cannot believe I'm hearing. Stuff like how you break the illusion of character by talking like a normal person instead of a pirate, or how you sometimes swear. We're supposed to be selling an immersive, family friendly experience." "We're selling babysitting services and childrens entertainment, don't make it more than it is," Alexis said, looking away and folding her arms, "...that being said, I'll try not to swear, you are right, that isn't appropriate around kids. I guess it became so normalized because my parents swore around me all the time, but that doesn't mean it's okay for me to swear around other peoples children. I'll try and do better on that." Vera smiled, and John nodded. "See," he said, "see what happens when we talk firmly, but politely, instead of just screaming at one another? This is what communication and teamwork actually looks like. I've been doing this for 20 years, and let me tell you, in that time, I've rarely worked with others because I've found it impossible to meet with their ridiculous standards. But you all took this upon yourselves, started this business, hell, even left the old one from what Lil told me. That's...that's commitment to your craft, dedication to your work. This is something you decided to do together, so let's make it work for everyone involved, okay?" Lilian and Josh were sitting a bit away, at another table, and listening to John. Josh finally looked at Lilian, who was just smiling like an idiot. "Where'd you find this guy?" Josh asked. "They ran into my car, but they also performed at my party when I was a little girl," she said, "...he's...oddly endearing, plus he's been doing this line of work for so long that I figured it might help to bring him in and get everyone on the same track, which he seems to be doing. I spent the last two weeks just trying to get him to agree to do this." "Well, he seems pretty good at it," Josh said, "...what do you think about Miranda? I like that name." Lilian smiled and leaned in, kissing them. "I like it too," she whispered. *** "Dad?" Maddie asked softly, prodding her father in his side, but he merely rolled over and groaned. What could he have meant by saying 'stop her'? Stop who? Her mother? Was her mother doing something to him? Impossible. Maddie knew her parents all too well, despite never getting to spend time with them. They were a lot of things, but they weren't killers. Maddie sighed and leaned back into her chair, licking her lips. Thirsty. She looked around and spotted a glass on the bedside table her father had been given, but hadn't drank from. Maddie leaned forward, picked up the glass and looked at it. Still cold. It was carrot juice, something her father loved, and Maddie herself enjoyed. He wouldn't mind, after all, he hadn't drank from it. She lifted the glass to her lips when suddenly she felt it flung from her hands, the glass falling onto the carpeted floor, the carrot juice spilling everywhere. Maddie was in shock, not just at the action taken, but also at the fact that her father had somehow found the will to sit upright long enough to do this. He then collapsed onto his back and groaned. Maddie got up and looked over him in the bed. "Dad?" she asked. "Don't drink what she gives me," he whispered. "...what? Why not?" Her father grimaced, tears in his eyes, his lips quivering. "Because it's poisoned," he said.
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A young woman named Lilian Phillips, who plays a princess at birthday parties, befriends a little girl who had a child die at her own birthday party. Archives
April 2024
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